2017 NAKA Rules

1. Participation, Eligibility, and Entry Fees

1.1. Sportsmanship, courtesy, safety, and fish conservation are required from every entrant.
1.2. Fishing and navigating water are each a risky activity which could result in the loss of life or property. All participants must sign a liability release before the start of each event.
1.3. All participants under the age of 18 must provide a liability release before the start of the event signed by a parent or guardian who is present or has previously met with the Tournament Director.
1.4. All participants must have a valid fishing license for that body of water and for the targeted species of fish.
1.5. All entrants must follow all federal, state, and local governed rules and boating and fishing regulations.
1.6. The Tournament Director reserves the right to refuse any entry for any reason.
1.7. The possession or use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs is prohibited. Any possession or use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs, participation in criminal activity, or other conduct reflecting unfavorably upon the tournament will be subject to disqualification.
1.8. Entry fees must be paid prior to the event.
1.9. It is the responsibility of each participant to report and pay taxes on any winnings.

2. Watercraft

2.1. Only man-powered vessels will be allowed (canoes, kayaks, SUP, float tubes, etc.). Participants using vessels that do not fall within the canoe, kayak, SUP, or float tube categories must get clearance with the Tournament Director before participation.
2.2. No electric or gas motors permitted. However, accommodations will be made for special needs anglers on a case-by-case basis. Arrangements must be made prior to the tournament.
2.3. Only one paid entrant per vessel unless approved by TD prior to Tournament

3. Safety

3.1. Safe boating shall be observed at all times.
3.2. During competition, each contestant is required to comply with all local, state, and federal boating and fishing laws.
3.3. Events may be canceled due to unsafe weather or water conditions.
3.4. Entrants may not fish within 25 yards of another angler.
3.5. Each participant must wear a US Coast Guard-approve chest-type life preserver anytime on the water during the event. This preserver must be strapped, snapped or zippered securely, and maintained in that condition while the entrant is in the water on the kayak. Inflatable life vest indicators should be checked daily. Violation of this rule may be reason for disqualification.
3.6. When kayaking in low visibility situations (e.g. fog, heavy rain, prior to safe light) competitors must operate their kayaks in a safe manner and ensure they can be seen by other boaters.

4. Eligible Water

4.1. All NAKA Tournament Trail stops will operate as “Radius launches”. The size of the radius may be adjusted by the Tournament Director.
4.2. Launch times will be announced at the Captains Meeting. Entrants may not launch their boat prior to the launch time.
4.3. ”Mothershipping” or transporting your kayak via another vehicle or boat after the launch time is not allowed unless otherwise allowed by the Tournament Director.
4.4. The Tournament Director may declare some waters off-limits prior to the competition.

5. General Rules

5.1. Do not cause undue harm to the fish.
5.2. All fish will be immediately released unharmed after photo has been taken.
5.3. No fish will be kept in ice chests, baskets, stringers, etc.
5.4. Each fish can only be submitted once.

6. Tackle and Equipment

6.1. Only artificial lures and biodegradable artificial lures may be used.
6.2. No “live bait” or “prepared bait” may be used with the exception of pork strips or rinds.
6.3. Only one rod and reel may be used at a time. Trolling lures, even if the rod is not being held by the angler, is considered “in use”.
6.4. The use of depth finders, temperature gages, sonar, and sound attractants are allowed.
6.5. A landing net may be used to land a fish.
6.6. Fish grippers may be used to retain a fish.
6.7. All activities will be performed by the individual angler. No help shall be given landing, measuring, photographing, or releasing the fish.

7. Qualifying Fish

7.1. Fish must be caught from the tournament waters during the official tournament hours. No angler may score a fish they did not catch during tournament hours.
7.2. Fish must be caught using a rod and reel or flyrod in a sporting manner.
7.3. Targeting injured, sick, dying, or dead fish is not a sporting manner.
7.4. No electronic tracking devices (implanted microchips) may be used to locate fish.
7.5. Moving fish or using methods to contain fish (cages, aquariums, stringers, etc.) prior to a tournament is not permitted.
7.6. Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted) must be 8” in length unless laws state otherwise.
7.7. Fish will be caught, measured, photographed, and released.
7.8. Fish will be photographed using a smartphone or digital camera. See Photo Criteria.
7.9. There will be a 3 fish limit unless otherwise noted.
7.10. You may not score the same fish more than once.

8. Weigh-in

8.1. Entrants must return to the launch point for a “weigh-in” at the designated time. This time may vary from stop to stop and will be announced at the Captains meeting.
8.2. Score cards will be provided and must be completed and turned in to judges no later than 15 after tournament end time.
8.3. Memory cards if used must be turned no later than 15 minutes after tournament end time. The angler is responsible for bringing any necessary adapters for any external media that may need to be provided at the weigh in.
8.4. A penalty of 1-inch will be assessed every 5 minutes after the turn in period.
8.5. After 15 minutes, the entrant will be disqualified.
8.6. Anglers leaving the tournament prior to the weigh-in time shall notify a tournament official.
8.7. Tournaments may utilize an online photo submission system. Facebook or email may be such a system. Such a system will be announced prior to the tournament. Historically, NAKA has submitted photos to a specific Facebook group thread.

9. Judging/Scoring

9.1. Entrants’ photos will be viewed and scored by a designated tournament committee. By default, the tournament committee will be the Tournament Director, Assistant Tournament Directors, and attending NAKA Board of Directors Members.
9.2. A unique identifier will be announced or provided prior to the start of the event.
9.3. The unique identifier (provided at the Captains Meeting) must be visible in each photo but not covering any part of the fish.
9.4. Fish will be measured to the nearest ¼-inch, rounding down.
9.5. The 3 longest fish (lengths) added together will be the total score unless otherwise noted.
9.6. In the event of a tie in total length of stringer, the first tie brake will be biggest fish, if still tied, it will go to next biggest. If all fish are the same, the two spots payouts will be combined and each angler will receive 50% of the combined total of the two spots.
9.7. Photos that do not meet the requirements will be disqualified.

10. Photo Criteria

10.1. Photo must include the entire fish. View of the mouth and tail of the fish must be unobstructed. No part of the fish should be obstructed, meaning nothing should be covering any part of the fish!
10.2. Fish grippers or fish stringers may be used to help retain your fish during the photographing process as long as the view of the lip, board and bump sticker is unobstructed.PLEASE CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR PAGE ON “WHAT IS C.P.R.” FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD AND BAD PHOTO SUBMISSIONS
10.3. All fish must face the left with some part of the fish touching the “bump sticker,” which is new for 2017. More information on this can be found at the above link.
10.4. The dorsal fin must be facing upward. Upside down fish will not be scored.
10.5. Get the most length out of your fish without harming the fish. You may not harm, mangle, mash, or maul the fish for any reason. Fish whose jaws appear to be damaged for any reason may be disqualified.
10.6. You may pinch the tail prior to capturing photo provided it does not harm the fish. However, the tail must be freely lying on the board in the photo. So, you may not use your hand or, say, tape to pinch the tail during the photographing of the fish.
10.7. Fish must visibly unharmed. Any fish that appears to be sick or dead may be disqualified by the judges.
10.8. Markings on the measuring device must be clear and legible to the ¼”.
10.9. Photos must be taken directly from above, not at an angle.
10.10. Each tournament’s assigned identifier must be visible in each photo.
10.11. The photo must be taken by same angler who caught fish.
10.12. Action cameras (e.g. GoPro) may be used to take pictures. However, it is the anglers’ responsibility to ensure all photo criteria are met.

11. Measuring Devices

11.1. Hawg Trough measuring devices are the approved measuring device for this trail. These measuring devices are a standard in kayak fishing tournaments. If an alternate measuring device is to be used, it must be approved by the tournament director prior to tournament launch. Please be aware that Hawg Troughs are sometimes not available at local shops
11.2. No sharing of measuring devices during tournament hours.
11.3. Measuring device may be checked at any time.
11.4. If measure device cannot be read by the judges, measurement will be rounded down to nearest legible mark. Please take a marker or paint pen to color the raised graduations on the Hawg Trough to add contrast.
11.5. Anglers are encouraged to wet your Hawg Trough prior to placing a fish on the device.
11.6. Modifying the method in which a fish is measured on the hawg trough is considered cheating.

12. Rules, Interpretations, and Protests

12.1. All rules and their interpretations are decided by Tournament Director.
12.2. Tournament Director’s decisions are final.
12.3. Any protest shall be immediately directed to the Tournament Director. This should be done during the judging/scoring process and before the awards process begins.
12.4. Once prizes have been awarded, tournament results are declared final.
12.5. Each angler may be required to submit to a polygraph examination at a time and location determined by the Tournament Director following the end of the competition in each tournament and abides by its conclusion. Failure to pass the polygraph will result in disqualification and may to an angler’s inability to compete in future events.
12.6. Cheating on this trail may constitute a ban from other events hosted by other organizations. Tampering with a sports contest is a Class A misdemeanor in the State of Alabama.